24
parliament sharing common interests subsequently congregated around two priority issues in
Somaliland – healthcare and the environment – ultimately forming the country’s first ever
health and green caucuses. IRI has supported both caucuses in conducting consultations with
various stakeholders throughout Somaliland during a series of cross-regional field hearings.
Based upon the input received from the public during these regional field hearings, each caucus
selected three top-priority issues to address in draft legislation. To help parliament research and
draft this desired legislation, IRI facilitated the creation of six joint working groups composed
of members of each caucus plus representatives of relevant civil society organizations,
academics and other noted experts on the respective issues. Through the joint working groups,
members of civil society have the opportunity to provide further input on the issues as they
assist parliament in drafting the legislation, while members of parliament are actively engaging
and cooperating with civil society. In 2013, IRI also expanded its work with parliament by
helping the legislative committees plan public forums on issues of interest and legislation,
including elections-related issues of voter registration and the parliamentary elections law and
the draft Media and Access to Information bill. IRI’s work with the Somaliland parliament, as
well as political parties, has been informed by two public opinion polls conducted by IRI.
51
As part of its USAID-funded Elections and Parliamentary Support program (2007-2011),
following the 2005 parliamentary elections, IRI worked with the Somaliland parliament to
increase the capacity of newly elected members of the House of Representatives, along with
members of the
Guurti
and legislative staff, to understand and fulfill their roles and
responsibilities and to conduct constituent outreach. In October 2010, with funding from NED,
IRI hosted five members of the Somaliland parliament on a study tour to Northern Ireland to
learn about legislative mechanisms, political party processes and to gain perspective on post-
conflict reconciliation. While the study tour gave the participants an opportunity to learn about
the technical side of legislative drafting and procedures in committees and on the assembly
floor, the Northern Irish hosts also gave a thorough history of how the decision-making
processes came to be as inclusive as they are today. The delegation met with an array of
political actors including the speaker of the house, representatives from all political parties,
legislative assembly staff and even former Irish Republican Army and loyalist paramilitary
members who are now promoting peace through civic engagement. These meetings and site
visits presented the group with a wide range of perspectives and sparked ideas of initiatives they
could implement in Somaliland.
Since 2004, the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa, with funding from the
European Union, has also provided support to the Somaliland parliament including “training,
workshops, seminars and study visits for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff with the
objective to create an environment that fosters knowledge sharing of the democratic process…
it has also provided equipment and built a new plenary hall for Somaliland’s parliament in
Hargeisa that was inaugurated in 2011.”
52
Most recently, the Association of European
51
IRI’s first poll was fielded September 28 – October 8, 2011 in the electoral district of Hargeisa.
(
. The
second nationwide poll was fielded June 16-24, 2012 (
poverty-unemployment-are-most-important-issues-facing-somalil
).
52
"Somaliland: More Support for Stability and Regional Cooperation."
Africa-EU Partnership
. Africa-EU
Partnership, 6 July 2011. Web. 10 Sept. 2013. <
>.
